
The early news reports were mixed, with some saying it was a spacecraft powered by nuclear energy and others saying it had nuclear weapons. Basically, there are three possibilities: a nuclear bomb intended to take out satellites, which would be kept on Earth and launched when needed; a nuclear bomb placed in space; or a satellite that uses nuclear power not as a weapon, but to run a different kind of equipment.
If Russia intends to place a nuclear weapon in complete orbit around the Earth, rather than a partial orbit where it doesn’t fully go around the planet, it would violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. Additionally, setting off nuclear explosions in space is prohibited by the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty, which Russia has agreed to. Regardless of legal issues, such a weapon would cause widespread and uncontrolled destruction.
If Moscow were to carry out a similar explosion now, when there are about 8,300 satellites in low Earth orbit, it wouldn’t only impact American satellites but also those belonging to Russia, China, and other nations. The International Space Station, which currently hosts three Russian crew members, and China’s space station, Tiangong, with its crew of three, could also be at risk.
American defense and spy satellites, especially those involved in nuclear command and control, are often built with protection against such energy surges. However, commercial satellites usually aren’t. Essentially, an attack like this would be more characteristic of rogue nations like North Korea and Iran, which don’t have many space assets to worry about and might think they have nothing to lose in a tense situation.
Matthew Bunn from Harvard University points out that Russia’s intention in deploying a nuclear bomb into space, rather than relying on a missile launched from the ground, might be to target geosynchronous orbit (GEO). This orbit, located roughly 36,000km above Earth’s surface and much higher than the low Earth orbit (LEO) under 2,000km, is crucial, he explained to the Economist. Satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) travel around the Earth once a day, which means they seem to stay in the same place in the sky. This makes them ideal for tasks like broadcasting and missile warning. According to Matthew Bunn, this orbit hosts many important American spy and military communication satellites. He also notes that current nuclear missiles can’t reach this high altitude.
PBS NewsHour has reported another concept suggesting that Russia is considering launching a nuclear-powered satellite designed for electronic warfare (EW) capabilities into space, according to The Economist. An electronic attack aims to disrupt or mislead the communications of the target satellite, with most of these attacks being temporary and can be undone. Several nations, like the United States and Russia, possess terrestrial electronic warfare systems capable of interfering with satellite operations. Attacking from space is tougher, but it might let attackers hit their targets more directly and keep it up for longer, especially if they can get the weapon close to what they’re aiming at.
According to a report from the Secure World Foundation, a nonprofit group, Russia is investigating the development of advanced space-based electronic warfare systems. This effort aims to enhance their existing terrestrial capabilities. The Economist noted this finding, highlighting the emergence of new evidence pointing towards Russia’s ambitions to expand its electronic warfare potential into space.
In a 2019 publication within the Space Review, a journal known for its in-depth analyses, there was a discussion on a nuclear-powered satellite named Ekipazh, designed specifically for this mission. Furthermore, Dmitry Stefanovich, associated with the Russian Academy of Sciences, brought to light another Russian endeavor, termed Zeus. Set for a projected launch around 2030, this nuclear-powered ‘space tug’ (space craft) is expected to offer a variety of functionalities, one of which includes capabilities for jamming.
The concept of using nuclear reactors for satellite power is not new. The United States first deployed a nuclear-powered satellite in 1965, and the Soviet Union launched over 40 similar satellites. The key benefit of nuclear reactors is their ability to produce substantial amounts of power. This capability enabled Soviet satellites to carry more powerful radars. Presently, it would empower Russian satellites to include more effective jamming devices.
According to The Space Review, Russian documents reveal that equipping satellites with nuclear reactors facilitated the use of jammers capable of targeting a broad spectrum of frequencies. When these satellites are positioned in highly elliptical or geosynchronous orbits—locations that enable satellites to remain stationary over the same point on Earth for extended durations—they could consistently disrupt electronic systems across vast regions.
James Acton, a specialist at the Carnegie Endowment, a Washington-based think tank, offers insight into why Russia might find this strategy appealing. He observes that the U.S. military has recently shown a growing interest in expansive satellite networks like SpaceX’s Starlink, which have been extensively utilized by Ukraine and its military. These networks consist of thousands of satellites, making it impractical to disable them individually. But, attacking over a wide area electronically could be a practical option.
Views expressed in the article are of author’s own and do not reflect the editorial stance of Business Upturn